Saturday, June 20, 2009

PRI/WYNC's Studio 360 radio show is having a design firm reconceptualize the pride flag and allowing their listeners to submit their own renditions as well. They believe the flag is old fashioned and in need of a 21st century makeover. The results air on the weekend of June 27th.

The show is sure to spark a debate among those who are loyal to the flag and those who are sick and tired of seeing rainbows abound. Some of the user submitted designs are quite funny, artistic and interesting.

What do you make of the effort to have a 21st century pride flag? Can this be something to replace the historic rainbow flag, is the notion ridiculous or are we in need of a more unison and universal complementary symbol?

20 comments:

OK, I gotta say I'd have thought I supported a makeover, but after thinking and looking at the samples, I'm in favor of original. Why? Flags are symbolic, not details treatise of inclusion. They are bold. They are memorable. I think the original rainbow flag does all that excellently. Even showing diversity. And plus -- the fact that a rainbow is a universally positive and happy symbol is an added and strong benefit.

So, I say let's not move down a notch, we've got an excellent flag for our virtual country now.

I agree with Scout--it's visually interesting and everyone knows it right away. No. The flag is fine the way it is. It's how others sometimes feel about it and what it represents that we need to work on.

I like it just the way it is. It IS a symbol of diversity... the many colors of the rainbow!! The pink and turquoise were dropped because they are more difficult colors for manufacturers to make, and for everyday folks to reproduce on their own 'home made' flags and symbols. The six colors that we have now are a relatively simple design.... and that's a good thing. I have seen some versions of the American flag done in rainbow and I have flown them, but that's more nationalistic. The plain striped flag is more international. I am curious to see what some of these design look like, but I also think that we have more important things to be thinking about.

I agree with most comments, the flag is historic, it is ours, it is symbolic and people have struggled over it. We have only had it for 40+ years, it isn't ancient, I am not ready to give it up. I do wish though the rainbow flags would have the lavender at the top and red at the bottom. That always pisses me off.

Not in mu lifetime I hope. I agree with a previous blog that stated much blood has been spilled for OUR flag. I am Canadian but wherever I travel I am one in that country under our international flag. The flag is not american or pink or anything else than what it is, It is a symbol of unity and pride along with the triangle, It has meaning for us older folk and the rest of society. It is the sign over a friendly business, a sign to an AA group, a sign of joy or trouble when we move within society, a sign of unity and family. Change it I think not!

I am not in favor of changing the flag for many of the reasons mentioned: it's an internationally recognized symbol, it stands for decades of love and fight...

I did find many of the designs interesting: I especially liked the idea of recovering the violet rhinocerous. They can be used as symbols and icons, but I don't believe they should replace the rainbow flag.

Personally, I agree with a lot of folks here--keep the gay pride flag that we've got.

That said, however, perhaps the gay pride flag could be augmented by another flag for all queer groups. While I don't understand the gay pride flag to be in any way non-inclusive, since other movements have their own flags, maybe it's time to have the gay pride flag be for gays, and look for another design for queers in general.

The rainbow flag should absolutely not be touched. It symbolizes beauty found in diversity of different colors and different people, and it is overwhelmingly used as the symbol of LGBT pride everywhere in the world. Once flags are established to represent a group or nation, they are rarely, rarely changed (i.e. not at all in almost all circumstances), and for that reason among others we really should never change this flag as it fundamentally represents us.